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Below is the letter I sent to our local newspaper, in response to an article written by our so-called "journalist". Our local media, like most around our nation, are willfully blind, do not care about truth, justice, or the American-way.
Last modified Fri., February 02, 2007 - 01:12 AM
Originally created Friday, February 2, 2007
U.S. MILITARY: Myth of sad sack soldier debunked
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GOOD, OLD-FASHIONED JOURNALISM? BY THAT, I MEAN SOURCED JOURNALISM.
Contrary to the rants of Tonya Weathersbee, Charlie Rangel or John Kerry, the typical American volunteer soldier is not a sad sack forced to endure the risks of combat because of a dearth of other choices.
If Weathersbee had researched before she threw around her opinions, she would know sources that have debunked the myth of the underprivileged soldier.
In fact, Rangel's proposal to reintroduce the draft because "a disproportionate number of the poor and members of minority groups make up the enlisted ranks of the military, while most privileged Americans are underrepresented or absent" prompted studies that disproved the myth of the under-privileged soldier.
According to a comprehensive study of all enlistees for the years 1998-99 and 2003, the typical recruit in the all-volunteer force is wealthier, more educated and more rural than the average 18- to 24-year-old citizen is.
Indeed, for every two recruits coming from the poorest neighborhoods, there are three recruits coming from the richest neighborhoods.
Ninety-eight percent joined with high school diplomas or better.
By comparison, 75 percent of the general population meets that standard.
In fact, since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, more volunteers have emerged from the middle and upper classes and fewer from the lowest-income groups.
In 1999, both the highest fifth of the nation in income and the lowest fifth were slightly underrepresented among military volunteers.
Since 2001, enlistments have increased in the top two-fifths of income levels but have decreased among the lowest fifth.
Allegations that recruiters are disproportionately targeting blacks also do not hold water.
First, whites make up 77.4 percent of the nation's population and 75.8 percent of its military volunteers, according to analysis of Department of Defense data.
I do not think that every new recruit from Kentucky joins solely because he is illiterate or desperate.
I do wonder why serving your country and paying your bills have to be exclusive.
Many people I know from the greatest generation joined to pay the bills, but they were patriots as well.
God bless those defending our way of life, no matter why they joined.
LINDA YAHN
Ponte Vedra Beach |